Ticket Modification Prices if original ticket was bought at a Discount

[Purduevian]

I am getting ready to buy my tickets for 3 park days. Our current plan is to park hop on 2 of the days, but since we are going with a 20-month-old, the reality is we might not make it to a second park either day. Originally my plan was to just buy the base ticket, but upgrade day of if everything is going well... However, I don't know what Disney will charge me if I buy my ticket through Undercover tourist.

If I buy tickets through Undercover Tourist, I can buy 3-day base for $468, or 3-day park hopper for $557 ($89 more)
If I buy direct through Disney, 3-day base is $493 or 3-day hopper is $583 ($90 more)

So if I buy the UT ticket at $468 then modify up to a park hopper, will I pay $115 ($583-$468) or $90 ($583-$493).

Basically, am I taking a $1 risk per ticket or a $26 per ticket?

 

[Rob562]

In general, the key to upgrading WDW tickets bought at a discount is to use the ticket to enter a park first, and then upgrade it. Doing that "locks in" the current gate price for that ticket.

My one caveat is that I haven't upgraded a ticket since 2018 or 2019, so there's a slight chance policies have changed, but I haven't heard anywhere that they have.

-Rob

 

[Purduevian]

In general, the key to upgrading WDW tickets bought at a discount is to use the ticket to enter a park first, and then upgrade it. Doing that "locks in" the current gate price for that ticket.

My one caveat is that I haven't upgraded a ticket since 2018 or 2019, so there's a slight chance policies have changed, but I haven't heard anywhere that they have.

-Rob

Thanks, so basically once I start to use the ticket, that ticket is "worth" what the gate price would be.

 

[Rob562]

Thanks, so basically once I start to use the ticket, that ticket is "worth" what the gate price would be.

Yes

-Rob

 

[Tigger&Pooh]

The upcharge to add a park-hopper to a 3-day base ticket is $80 + tax. You should retain the discount whether you use the ticket first or not. Years ago that mattered for "bridging" to current price but not anymore. The credit towards upgrade is the price that WDW sold the same ticket on the date you bought from UT; not necessarily "gate price." If WDW has increased ticket prices since you purchased from UT, you may get hit with the increase. (Maybe not just to add PH but definitely if adding an extra day.)

 

[Dory71]

Along these lines, if I buy a 3 day base ticket and want to hop on my last day, would I be charged for 3 days of hopping or 1?

 

[Purduevian]

Along these lines, if I buy a 3 day base ticket and want to hop on my last day, would I be charged for 3 days of hopping or 1?

I know the answer to this one. The whole ticket gets upgraded to the park hopper price, even if you already used some of the days.

 

[nickys]

The upcharge to add a park-hopper to a 3-day base ticket is $80 + tax. You should retain the discount whether you use the ticket first or not. Years ago that mattered for "bridging" to current price but not anymore. The credit towards upgrade is the price that WDW sold the same ticket on the date you bought from UT; not necessarily "gate price." If WDW has increased ticket prices since you purchased from UT, you may get hit with the increase. (Maybe not just to add PH but definitely if adding an extra day.)

But how do they know what day you bought from UT or another authorised dealer? Is that info held on MDE when you link it?

I’ve not noticed the purchase date on MDE before, app or website. But there again, I wasn’t consciously looking for it.

 

[Dory71]

I know the answer to this one. The whole ticket gets upgraded to the park hopper price, even if you already used some of the days.

Thanks for the response. I figured as much $$

 

[Tigger&Pooh]

But how do they know what day you bought from UT or another authorised dealer? Is that info held on MDE when you link it?

I’ve not noticed the purchase date on MDE before, app or website. But there again, I wasn’t consciously looking for it.

It's somehow coded into the ticket. Whether that means a batch of ticket #s that were sold to the authorized dealer or otherwise recognized by WDW's ticket system, it's not visible to the guest only on the back-end.